Accident caused by controlled fire not in building or structure

This code signifies an injury or adverse health event resulting from an uncontrolled fire that occurred outdoors, not within a building or other constructed enclosure. It indicates the external cause of an injury, such as burns, smoke inhalation, or other trauma, when the fire itself was not contained within a structure.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states an injury was sustained due to an outdoor fire, such as a brush fire, bonfire, or uncontrolled open-air burning. This code is appropriate when the patient's medical record specifies the fire's location as outside and not within a building.

• Always sequence this external cause code after the primary diagnosis describing the nature of the injury (e.g., burn, smoke inhalation).
• Distinguish carefully from fires occurring within a building or structure; those have different external cause codes.
• Ensure documentation specifies the fire was "controlled" but still caused an accident, implying an unexpected or unintended outcome despite initial control.